Assessing Competitive Intelligence Software: A Guide to Evaluating CI Technology

by France Bouthillier, Kathleen Shearer, Chun Wei Choo (Foreword)

As commercial software products for Competitive Intelligence (CI) emerge and gain acceptance, potential users find themselves overly dependent on information supplied by the software makers. Reviews and surveys are published from time to time, but CI is not a "one-size-fits-all" process and the software that supports it must be highly customized. This book is the first to propose a systematic method firms can use to evaluate CI software independently, allowing them to compare features, identify strengths and weaknesses, and invest in products that meet their unique needs. Authors Bouthillier and Shearer demonstrate their 32-step methodology through an evaluation of four popular CI software packages. In addition, they identify important sources of information about CI software, map information needs to intelligence outcomes, and describe key analytical techniques.

217 pages, ebook

First published September 1, 2003